Kleckskuchen – Cherry Poppy Seed Streusel Cake

Not those benefits. Get your minds out of the gutter.

This dessert’s benefits include: 1) It feeds a crowd 2) its unusual beauty  3) streusel 4) of course, it’s delicious. 5) Did I mention streusel?

The best benefit of all is, you can say you made a “blob” cake.  The cake is called a Kleckskuchen in German which translates to something like “blob cake” which makes me giggle like a hyena. Say it with me, “Blob Cake. Blob Cake. Blob. Cake.”

Kleckskuchen is a specialty of Oberlausitz or the Upper Lusatia region of Germany and Poland which dates back to the 1400s. Like most German desserts, it is comparatively lower in sugar than its American counterparts but does not sacrifice flavor.

The recipe consists of a yeasted cake base and the four separate topping elements added on top of the cake base in blobs to create the patchwork effect.

This is fun to make with kids. If you are concerned about the tablespoon of rum in the poppy seed filling and cherry jam, just leave it out or substitute vanilla extract.  you can also use any flavor jam you have on hand or use up those pesky half–and-quarter-full jars left in your fridge.

If you have the time, this dessert makes a great addition to your Memorial Day party menu. Like I said, it makes a lot of cake but it freezes well. Make sure you wrap each piece in plastic cling film and seal it in a ziplock bag.

Print

Kleckskuchen - Cherry Poppy Seed Streusel Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Keyword cherry cake, cherry poppy seed cake, German Baking, german cakes, kleckskuchen, poppy seed cake, sheet cakes

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Rise Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 20 pieces

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

For the Cake Base:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 1+1/2 packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 7 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the poppy seed filling:

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup milk
• 1+ 1 /2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons of semolina or spelt flour
• 1/2 cup crushed poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the sour cream filling:

• 1 egg
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the streusel:

• 1+ 1 /4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 7 tablespoons melted butter

Topping:

• 1 - 10 oz. jar of cherry jam
• 1 tablespoon rum

Instructions

Make the cake base:

1. Place the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour.
2. Add  3 tablespoons of the lukewarm milk and sprinkle the yeast into the milk.
3. When the yeast dissolves, add the sugar and rub the mixture between your hands to distribute the yeast.
4. Cover the bowl and let stand in a warm place for 15 minutes.
5. Add the melted butter, the rest of the milk, egg, and salt and knead together into a smooth dough.
6. Cover the bowl once again and let stand for 15 minutes.
7. Line a 10"x14" sheet pan with baking paper. Grease the sides.
8. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, transfer it to the pan, and spread it out to the edges.
9. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Make the poppy seed filling:

1. Mix the lemon zest, milk, butter, and semolina in a skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. The mixture should become thick like pudding.
2. Let cool and whisk in the poppy seeds, sugar, egg, rum, and cinnamon.

Make the sour cream filling:

1. Separate the egg.
2. Place the egg white in a mixer, and add the pinch of salt.
3. Beat the egg white until stiff peaks form.
4. Mix the sour cream, milk, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla.
5. Fold the egg white into the mixture.

Make the streusel:

1. Whisk together the flour and sugar.
2. Add the melted butter and the vanilla and use your hand or a fork to mix until the streusel forms.

Assemble the Cake:

1. Mix the cherry jam with the rum. Cover the cake layer, alternating with tablespoon-sized blobs of the poppy seed filling, sour cream filling, and jam.
2. Sprinkle the streusel over the top and let the cake stand for another 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Bake for 25 -30 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. Let cool. Cut and serve.

Like this Kleckskuchen – Cherry Poppy Seed Streusel Cake? Also, check out some of these other recipes:

PEAR POPPY SEED CAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

LEMON POPPY SEED TORTE